Married Life
by haterhaterhater
Summary: "Go on and get to the point, Kyohei. What should we do with the princesses of our fallen enemy?" the king asked, smirking. Kyohei smiled, "I propose that Sunako, Noi, and Tamao choose between us. That is, Takenaga, Ranmaru, and I."
1. Prologue

"They're coming, Sunako! What do we do?"

The girl breathed heavily, a gun pointed at the door.

"Sunako…" another called.

"Quiet!" She whispered harshly. The two other women quickly silenced themselves and hid behind her.

_Bang_

_Bang _

_Bang _

_Bang_-Sunako readied her 38. Smoke and the wooden remains of the broken down door made it hard for her to see. She squinted her eyes, silencing her breath.

She waited, keeping her finger steady. Then, the smoke cleared.

Her eyes widened, the gun fell to her feet with a loud clang.

_Kyouhei_?


	2. 72 Hours Earlier

Four young men paced a large and circular room, a round table was located in the center where many older men clutched their heads or clenched their fists.

A heavy decision weighed upon all of their shoulders.

"Are you sure, father?"

"Yes, Takenaga."

The young man crossed his arms and glared at the screen hovering above the war room's table. A face smirked at them from within the pixels, daring them to make a move.

"Soldiers from Stulte Kingdom were detained while in the process of attempting to sell our secrets. Their mission had the king's signature clear as day at the bottom," another young man with red hair, the king's most trusted general's son, explained.

A blond young man sighed sorrowfully, he rubbed his temple.

The king eyed him warily, "Kyouhei, perhaps you should sit this one out…it is, after all, where I found you-"

"Enough, father. I'm fine…what I really want to know is your decision," the young prince stated.

The king nodded, proud of his adopted son's loyalty. He looked at his councilmen, his most trusted generals, and his allies. His eyes were determined, angry:

"We attack."

…

It didn't take long for the walls of Stulte to fall, their military had been comprised of illiterate low-lives for many years. The king didn't want soldiers who were smart enough to figure out that they were underpaid. In one day the capital had been taken. And by the second night only the palace had yet to be controlled. By the third morning, the king's head was on a platter and his family had yet to be found.

"What do we know about the king's family?" Ranmaru asked.

Takenaga paced Stulte's thrown room, "His first wife died just two years after giving birth to his eldest daughter, Tamao. Being a king, he quickly found a replacement. But, she also met her end four years after the birth of his second daughter, Noi."

Yuki, the king's nephew and adopted prince, spoke up: "I've also heard rumors of an elder sister of the two. Apparently, after Uncle adopted Kyouhei and me in the same year, the king of Stulte felt that his people didn't love him. Seeing the response of Omorfia's citizens once we entered society, he decided to adopt a 13-year old orphan girl. But his people weren't fooled. Their reaction to the adoption was extremely negative, for thousands of other children were still starving and dying. The king, angry, locked her away and denied her everything except the title: princess," he explained.

Takenaga nodded, "I've also heard that she's an extremely skilled warrior who immigrated from the northern tribes of Stulte as a young girl. People say that her purple eyes tell of the lands from which she descended."

Kyouhei felt a lump in his throat.

_Purple eyes, great warrior, adopted? That sounds like-_

"Sunako."

Kyouhei's head whipped around to Ranmaru. He had read the name aloud from a piece of paper. Kyouhei nearly ran over to him, a cold sweat forming on his brow as he snatched the document and his eyes drank in the words:

_CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION_

_NAME: Nakahara, Sunako_

_DATE OF BIRTH: 10-11-2095_

_REGISTRATION NUMBER: 77765847_

_NEW ADDRESS: The Royal Palace_

_ORIGIN: Northern Tribes of Stulte_

_ADOPTER: King Darius II_

At the bottom was the director of the orphanage's signature and the king's. Kyouhei gulped. He crumpled up the parchment and stuffed it into his pocket. Takenaga quirked an eyebrow, Yuki scratched the back of his neck, and Ranmaru smirked.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" The red-head asked.

But Kyouhei was in no mood for jokes. Memories of laughter, playful wrestling, screams, love, and acceptance swarmed his mind. His head began to hurt as they all replayed themselves at once. His eyes stung and his heart pounded so hard he found it difficult to breathe.

_Sunako…_

The others sensed the turmoil, the tense air. Takenaga looked worried as he walked towards his adopted brother, his hand gently gripped Kyouhei's shoulder: "Kyouhei…what is it about this girl that's got you so worked up?"

Kyouhei gulped again. He turned around before scanning every nook and cranny of Stulte's now empty royal court. He motioned with his head towards Stulte's war room, hidden by a fake wall just behind the golden throne. The four young men cautiously entered.

"Has this room been washed?" Kyouhei asked quietly. Every room they had taken was rid of all its cameras, microphones, computers, telephones, you name it. They couldn't be too careful. The poor citizens of Stulte may have despised King Darius, but the rich loved how much he had pampered them. If they weren't careful, they could give away secrets and the upper class-with their endless resources-could keep the fight going for months.

Takenaga and Ranmaru nodded, crossing their arms: "What is it that you can't say out there?"

Kyouhei rubbed his clammy hands against the front of his uniform: "I know Sunako."

Their eyes widened. Kyouhei had never mentioned anything about his old life. They had a clue as to why: something horrible had taken place and left deep and unforgettable scars. Only the King of Omorfia knows his whole story.

"It was just two years before your father, Takenaga, visited Stulte and took me home with him. I met a native girl…named Sunako. We hated each other at first. Native cultures, as you know, are very superstitious. The first words she said were: 'Why are you down here?' She thought that I was a 'creature of the light' as she put it who had fallen from heaven. My good looks always seemed to get in the way no matter where I was or who I met. But, there was something different about her. Almost as if she didn't like how I looked. That enticed me…never before had someone _disliked_ my face."

Kyouhei paused before continuing, "Anyway, to put it simply, I fell for her. She was the first girl that didn't disgust me. But it was one-sided. Her strange way of thinking kept her _just_ out of my reach. And after two years of torture, your father visited and took me away…"

The others could sense that there was much more to the story, but they were lucky to learn _anything _about his past. Because Kyouhei was the kind of guy who always kept moving forward.

Kyouhei sighed, "I've also heard a few things about the princesses. They're extremely beautiful, and so is Sunako…what will happen to them, Takenaga?" Kyouhei asked his brother, turning to look at him with weary and worried eyes. He knew what happened to the women from fallen countries. He had seen it many times.

Takenaga closed his eyes, "Mother died five years ago, father might try to take Sunako or the others for himself."

Kyouhei sucked in his breath.

"But, he's also been talking a lot with the king of our ally, Shin. I think that he intends to marry the king's sister, a widow."

Kyouhei sighed, relief comforting him like a lover's arms.

"But the king is no fool, Takenaga. The people of Stulte may have hated Darius, but they _adore _their princesses. If they aren't bound to us in some way, the people just might rebel under their leadership someday…" Ranmaru interjected.

Yuki sighed, "Ranmaru's right. Even if uncle doesn't take any of the princesses of Stulte, he might give them to someone else. Someone from Omorfia with money or military status."

"What should we do?" Kyouhei almost pleaded.

Takenaga opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a swift knocking on the door. He gave Kyouhei an apologetic look before answering:

"Come in."

A young soldier opened the door, he looked directly at Takenaga, "Sire, the King's family has been located in a cabin close to the capital's edge."

Ranmaru and Yuki ran out of the room immediately, Takenaga began to run too before an arm stopped him: "Promise me." Kyouhei whispered.

Takenaga turned around, "Promise what?"

"That I'll decide what happens to those girls."

Takenaga nodded and the two princes made for the military vehicles.


	3. I Missed Your Everything

_She waited, keeping her finger steady. Then, the smoke cleared._

_Her eyes widened, the gun fell to her feet with a loud clang. _

_Kyouhei? _

Sunako felt her insides churning. Her heart beat was just as deadly and fast as the drums her tribe used to play before battle.

_Kyouhei…_

He was standing in front of her, his eyes looked gentle and soft. Her sisters were shaking with fear. Soldiers had, by now, surrounded the small wooden home. She could see that Kyouhei and the three on his left and right were of much higher status than the others.

She shook her head in order to focus and took a stance, ready to kill anyone who tried to touch Noi or Tamao.

Kyouhei put up his hands to show that he was not a threat. He nodded at the black-haired one who gave the soldiers a command before replacing the broken door with a large wardrobe.

"Sunako, we're not here to hurt you or your sisters," he said quietly.

Sunako's fists lowered just slightly, until a throaty cry startled her: "No! You'll just make us marry strangers from Omorfia! I know what men do to captured princesses!" Tamao yelled shakily.

Sunako's guard was instantly revived. She might've even hurt Kyouhei if he tried anything now. He did, and betraying her earlier thoughts, she just stood there.

He lowered her hands with his own and looked at her passionately. Sunako's face turned red almost immediately. He moved to her right ear and whispered so that no one but her could hear:

"I'll take care of everything."

She felt all of her resolve, all of her malice, and all of her fight vanish. He had always been able to relax her with his silver tongue.

She clutched his collar, this alarmed the others. But Kyouhei put up a hand to halt them, he knew that she wasn't going to hurt him: "If anything happens to-"

Kyouhei grabbed and rubbed her arms. She let go so quickly. She had always been weak when it came to physical touch. He almost chuckled, happy that she hadn't changed much: "Nothing will."

The green haired one gasped, understanding that he was implying **complete** protection, "Kyouhei-"

He turned and glared at him, "_Nothing_, will happen."


	4. Omorfian Politics

Kyouhei eyed his childhood love from the side. He knew that she knew he was staring. He honestly didn't care. She had grown so well. Her curves were dangerous, and her eyes lured you like fishes to worms.

She was lethal…

_LETHAL_.

Noi and Tamao, her younger adopted sisters, had abandoned their fear and their tears hours ago as they continued to ride towards Omorfia. He chuckled slightly as Ranmaru and Takenaga stole looks every now and then. They truly were a sight to behold, because only someone beautiful like Tamao and Noi could grab the attention of the world's biggest man-whore and a human brown recluse.

"We'll arrive in twenty minutes," the soldier driving said.

Sunako was looking out of the window, never had she seen so many happy families, so much grass. It was so much… like paradise. It was nothing like the tundra she lived in as an ignorant native.

_Ignorant but happy_.

She knew that Kyouhei was staring. She knew how he felt about her when they were both orphans, protecting each other and fighting to survive. But…for some reason, there was just _something_ that told her to wait. _Something_ that told her to silence her heart.

And now she knew why.

Tamao hit the ball on the head with her comment. Sunako also knew what happened to captured royals. The men were usually put to death and the women either raped or taken in as wives. She shuddered at the thought of marrying some gross old general.

But her anger soared when she imagined Noi and Tamao being shipped off to some pervert's home. She clenched her teeth and fought the screams, the memories of men wandering into her room after her father's "war meetings."

If she hadn't learned the warrior's way as a child, her innocence would've been stolen long ago. She protected Noi and Tamao as well. They were even prettier than her, and _younger_. Officials _always_ liked them _younger_.

Noi had silky red hair and electric blue eyes. Tamao was blond with a beautiful face and strong oceanic orbs. Many men would leave Sunako after receiving bruises and try to enter her sisters' chambers. But she was smart to follow them. They always left with broken ribs and smashed teeth.

But she knew that others had suffered much worse at the hands of the government, one in particular who was staring at the side of her face so intently-

"We've arrived."

…

The green haired one, she thought Kyouhei had called Yuki, left a long time ago. Apparently his wife, Machiko, was anxious to see him.

Sunako quickly learned who was who. Yuki was the oldest, 24. He was taken in and adopted by the king three months after Kyouhei. He had lost his parents to a raging forest fire. The king, being Yuki's uncle, immediately made room for him.

Ranmaru, 22, was the leading general of Omorfia's oldest and only son. He was a big flirt and knew more gossip and information about others than he did battle tactics. But knowing secrets was a big asset, too. That's why, she figured, he hung around with war buffs.

Takenaga, also 22, was the king's only "real" son. He was the most intelligent. His vocabulary was extensive and he understood a lot about the psychological tendencies of others. She could tell by the way he walked that he was good with a sword as well.

She also learned that Kyouhei had been adopted by the king. She remembered feeling so lost, so despaired, when he disappeared and never came back. She knew when he must've been found, it just _had_ to be that rainy deplorable day-

"His majesty, the king."

A tall man with black hair walked towards the throne, everyone dipped their heads in order to show respect. Even Kyouhei and Takenaga. Sunako and her sisters begrudgingly did the same, they didn't want to give the Omorfians any _reason_ to punish them.

"Princesses of Stulte, welcome," the king said. Sunako couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or genuine. She hated people that were hard to read.

"Father, we would like to get down to business concerning the princesses immediately," Kyouhei stated firmly.

Many others watching began to whisper. They sounded like a bunch of flies.

"Why the hurry?" The king asked with a playful grin, "We should be celebrating our victory!"

Some of his generals and advisers laughed.

But Kyouhei was in no mood for jokes.

He pulled Sunako closer to him, "Father, may I introduce the eldest and adopted daughter of King Darius II,_ Sunako_."

Sunako was half convinced that he was hissing by the time he got to her name.

The king's smile instantly disappeared, "Leave us." He said.

Everyone but the two princes, the three princesses, Ranmaru, and Ranmaru's father left.

"You sit them down. One sound and they can't stay," the king ordered.

The three young men grabbed the princesses gently and sat them in three chairs on the wall. They were mostly for decoration, but they would do.

The king eyed how his son, Ranmaru, and Kyouhei treated the girls. Most would be rough and sexually playful; _demeaning_. But they were gentle, _kind_.

They stood before the king, "Father…"

"Takenaga put you in charge of the girls' welfare, did he?" The king asked.

Kyouhei was smart enough to know that his question wasn't meant to be answered.

"What is it about these three particular girls that has you so _concerned_?" The king asked, "We have taken many countries and taken many women. Machiko was in their shoes only two years ago for heavens' sake!"

Kyouhei remembered, it took the terrified young girl a year and two months to accept Yuki. Yuki fell for her so fast, so quickly. But she was so angry, so determined to make his life miserable because she blamed him. She blamed him because back in her own country, she had been betrothed to her longtime lover. But he died on the battlefield and suddenly she was married to someone else. He remembered how drunk Yuki would get before stumbling into his room, crying until he finally fell asleep.

And then, suddenly, Machiko woke up one day and understood. She saw a love in Yuki that her dead fiancé never possessed. She saw that Yuki was gentle, kind. She knew that she had loved him for a long time. Now, her anger is mostly directed towards the king. But she does pretty well to control her thoughts, knowing how much he means to her beloved husband.

Kyouhei didn't want Takenaga or Ranmaru to face what Yuki had. The pain, the grief, the hopelessness. But the lump in his throat just got thicker as the king and his brother talked about what they should do. Should they go to some of the single officers in the king's inner circle? Should they be given as gifts to allies? Should one of them go home with the king himself?

Kyouhei was restless, desperate. No one would be allowed to touch Sunako. NO ONE. He gulped. He knew what he had to say, the king would love the idea. Everyone else involved would probably hate him for a long time. Then he smirked. Since when did he give a crap about his brothers' feelings?

"Father…I heard you and Takenaga talking last week. You wanted him to choose a bride, did you not?" Kyouhei suddenly asked.

Takenaga's eyes almost popped out of his head, he knew immediately where Kyouhei was going. He was also confused. _Should I be angry?_ He looked at Noi and let his eyes rake over her entire body. He smirked. _Nope_.

The king was taken aback, "Ahem, yes. He is 22 years old. I was married at 18-"

"And General Morii. You've been pushing Ranmaru to tie the knot for years now haven't you?"

Ranmaru was too busy checking Tamao out to notice anything that anyone was saying.

The general cleared his throat, caught off guard: "Why yes, he's irresponsible. He always sleeps around-"

"And father, you know how much I care for Sunako…you know that she's part of my past," he added. Sunako blushed, embarrassed.

The king was smiling now, "Go on, and get to the point, Kyouhei."

Kyouhei smiled back, "I propose that the three princesses choose between us, the two princes, and Ranmaru Morii."

Ranmaru's eyes snapped forward:

"WHAT?"


	5. My Fight

The red-head wanted to cry until her voice was forever gone. She felt happy for her elder sister. Sunako was obviously taken by the blond one. She didn't want to take that away from her by voicing her fears, her reluctance. They-those horrid, blood shedding, and testosterone driven men-were up there, talking about trading/giving her and her sisters away like they were a three-piece furniture set, or livestock. Most would usually describe Noi as a flirt at parties. She had a reputation, one that she wasn't ashamed of. So, why did this bother her? Being kidnapped by three "gods" was a dream most women had every night, even after marriage.

But no matter how handsome they were, she couldn't bring herself to truly look at them.

_"Go on, and get to the point, Kyouhei."_

_"I propose that the three princesses choose between us, the two princes, and Ranmaru Morii."_

Her eyes widened. She looked past her adopted elder sister and into the despaired eyes of Tamao. A sob rose in her throat, she began to shake. But a gentle touch made her eyes flicker to Sunako, her protector, her loving adopted sister.

She had squeezed both of their hands, Noi and Tamao stared at her anxiously. Sunako's eyes laid on the king. She looked determined. She was in battle mode. She had adorned that expression many times: when she beat the elder men lurking in front of their bed-rooms after their father's "war-meetings," and when she trained soldiers in secret. She was a warrior after-all, and warriors looked for fights in every situation. They thirsted for them, begged God for them. Sunako was no different. This kidnapping was nothing more than a battle that needed to be danced around and contemplated for Sunako-with the right tactics, the right moves, she would win.

They stared knowingly as she slowly rose from her seat. Her fists clenched at her sides as the king glared at her audacity. The blond one, called Kyouhei, wasn't surprised by her actions. He watched Sunako, anticipating her next move. The red-haired one, Ranmaru, narrowed his eyes at Kyouhei and paid no attention to the bold native who had disobeyed the king's orders. Takenaga, the only one who had captured Noi's attention at the cabin, looked at her. She couldn't read his face, and she blushed.

_What are you doing? You hate them, he isn't an option for you. None of them are, he's-_

Her eyes met his and she saw him clearly for the first time. He had black hair, black eyes, tan skin, and he was tall.

_So cute!_

God she wanted to slap herself. She had never been good at being the rebellious one. She wasn't strong-willed when it came to beautiful men. But she also sensed something different in him than the rest. He was intelligent, she could tell. His words were always carefully chosen.

_He's probably horrible with women. _She giggled at the thought.

But her musings weren't allowed to last long. Sunako had made it to the center of the large throne room, she had taken her time, but now she stood tall in front of Kyouhei. And just when Noi thought Sunako would pull one of her famous kicks, or punches, or take him hostage with a gun, she did something completely unforeseen:

"This one's mine."

Tears flooded Tamao's cheeks. Even a few sobs escaped her small mouth. But Noi wasn't sad. She couldn't understand why, she was ready to cry only a few moments ago herself. But now she felt strong. She felt that Sunako knew exactly what she was doing, she felt that she had no reason to worry.

Noi rose from her seat as well and took her older sister's quaking hand. The blond beauty clutched Noi's arm, her head downcast as she continued to sob. They walked to the center of the throne room as well. The king watched them with a cold smirk on his face. Noi fought her glare. She couldn't stand cocky men.

She felt a tug, Tamao stood at a distance behind her. Her free hand covering both of her eyes: "I can't do this, Noi. I can't...I _can't_."

Noi embraced her sister, the girl shook as she buried her head in Noi's chest: "You _must_."

Tamao looked shocked, her eyes searching for a secret alternative in Noi's electric orbs. But she found none. She swallowed her cries, she wiped her tears, and she stood up straight: "_We must_."

Noi nodded as she turned around, facing the two men and her sister-she watched them with a look of hard determination. Tamao found her place next to Noi and they continued to walk. Now both of their heads were held high, they trudged with pride.

_You can take everything from me; my health, my freedom, my money, and my status...but you can't take my fight_.

_That's the one thing you'll never have._


	6. Bound

It was so bittersweet.

White dresses, white flowers, white suits, white pastries, and white smiles. But never had her mood been so black. The sky was bleak, thank God. She loved the rain. And it, thankfully, matched her depressing state of mind.

But could this really be called depression? It wasn't the man standing at the altar that made her nervous, it wasn't _her_ fate. This particular situation gave the butterflies in her stomach wings and the heart in her chest a lively beat. The thought of impending matrimony left a smile on her otherwise blank face.

"_This one's mine."_

She was still embarrassed by her own choice of words. Instead of saying, "I choose Kyouhei," she had erased his identity entirely and made him into an object, an object that was "hers." It had sounded so mature and possessive, sexual even. When in reality no man had ever gotten close enough to take the innocence of her freakin' _lips_.

A chill crawled up her spine and she shuddered. Did the dress really have to show off her shoulders? It probably didn't, but Noi was an unstoppable fashionista who had decided that Sunako needed to look "Amazingly Gorgeous" for Kyouhei.

… Then Sunako's giddy mood fell a little and the feeling of dread returned.

_Noi and Tamao…they don't want this…_

Tears began to build. After years of protecting them from every pervert on the planet…she had given her lovely younger sisters away on a silver platter.

"Sunako sweetie, why are you crying?"

How long had Yuki's wife been standing there?

"I wasn't crying…_yet_."

Machiko giggled, but it didn't last long, "Why are you still here? Your sisters are waiting for you at the door. You're set to start walking in two minutes…"

Sunako sighed, "I was supposed to keep them safe, supposed to make sure their husbands truly loved them," she mumbled.

Machiko walked over to Sunako and put a hand on her shoulder, "I was in their shoes two years ago, you know? I'm sure that his _highness_ probably mentioned it while he argued with Kyouhei," she stated. Machiko uttered the word "highness" with a small hint of hate, but Sunako ignored it.

"And I was so angry and bitter about it, too, for the longest time. And poor Yuki truly loved me. I made his life so miserable because I put the blame on him, when all he ever did was try to make me happy," she said. Tears fell from Machiko's eyes and Sunako watched awkwardly.

How exactly do you comfort a stranger?

"So, this is my advice for you and your sisters: don't hate those men. Takenaga, Ranmaru, and Kyouhei are good and loyal. They always do the right thing and offer _fierce _affection. So love, nurture, and stand by them. They're worth it."

Sunako nodded as Machiko removed her hand. The bride made her way for the door, but before she grabbed the handle, Machiko uttered one last sentence. One that she would remember forever:

"And watch your back."

Sunako's eyes widened, but she didn't stop. She grabbed the handle and turned it.

The door opened wide.

…

"Please give me your hands," the priest said.

Sunako warily followed the holy man's instructions. Kyouhei did the same with an annoyed look in his eyes. Sunako almost laughed, he still hated touching other males.

"I bind you in the name of love and matrimony. In good times and bad, in poverty and wealth, in youth or old age, you will always remain one."

Sunako watched as a golden band began to glow around her ring finger. It continued to hum and cast shadows on her face even after the priest had let go.

"Why are the rings glowing? And why is yours purple?" Sunako asked Kyouhei.

He smiled, "It's the color of your soul, Sunako."

_Gold_, it made so much sense. Every time the sun lit up the sky, or sunflowers grew, or someone laughed heartily, Kyouhei had always come to mind.

Sunako looked past Kyouhei and saw the not-so-in love looks on her sisters' faces as glowing rings of bondage appeared on their own fingers.

And her smile faded once again.

"I never wanted this for them," Sunako whispered, boring into the eyes of her new husband.

Kyouhei watched as his strong and steely soul mate began to cry. It broke his heart but, of course, no one would_ ever_ know that her tears affected him to such a degree.

Kyouhei rested his hands on Sunako's shoulders. He sighed, pulling her into the manliest comforting hug that he could muster in front of Takenaga, Ranmaru, and Yuki.

"Ranmaru and Takenaga are good men, Sunako," Kyouhei whispered, "They'll cherish Noi and Tamao…and if I see that they aren't, I'll take care of it myself."

Sunako nodded, sniffing. Her arms clutched Kyouhei's torso.

He_ loved_ this feeling.

Sunako laughed.

_What a dork_.

Kyouhei quirked an eyebrow, confused. He'd heard that…but…it was like she didn't use her mouth to say it.

_Sunako?_

Her head shot up, her purple eyes wide, _Kyouhei?_

_What's happening?_


	7. Dark and Light

Kyouhei almost opened his mouth to beg anyone around them for an explanation, _almost_. But Sunako quickly silenced it with a kiss. And how could he, in his right mind, bring himself to interrupt _that_?

It was anxious at first, but it finally evened out into something smooth, slow, and amazing. But his ridiculous need to breathe oxygen ended Sunako's rare moment of boldness. Though he was suspicious her actions had something to do with the fact that, oh _yeah_…_they could freakin' read each other's minds!_

_Don't say anything to anyone, Kyouhei, _she harshly thought.

Kyouhei made an alarmed face, one that demanded an answer to all of the questions forming in his brain. But then he realized if Sunako was reacting this way…then she _must_ know something. So he abandoned his own mind and concentrated on hers. They were still standing at the altar, but no one made a move to address how long they were taking to step away from it.

He could hear her inner voice. And for some reason, the second time around, he found comfort in hearing it.

_This is impossible. They were __**just**__ legends, legends that the Chief used to tell so women would __**want **__to get married. It was a tactic, one used to trick the females into obedience…but._

_Sunako? _Her thoughts stopped as she listened to Kyouhei's smooth inner voice reach out for her attention. How could she ignore _him_ of all people? _What do you know? _He asked patiently.

Sunako swallowed her spit and looked into his eyes. The moment purple met auburn; their minds seemed to connect on a bright white plane. The sky and their surroundings were dark, but they could see each other as if the sun was shining down and illuminating their faces. Every person that once surrounded them disappeared. They were alone. Sunako opened her mouth:

_In Pawan, my home tribe, there were many legends that the Chief and the other elders would tell at a day's end. When the women had finished their duties, and the hunting party had returned, and the warriors had finished checking our boundaries for trespassers, they would choose __**one **__story to recall._

Kyouhei listened intently, noting that his arms felt tight from some sort of pressure. He quickly assessed that _someone_ was trying to pull him away from the altar. But here, in this dark yet warm place, there was only enough room for himself and the holder of his heart. And that thought alone made the tingling sensations-the _distractions_-disappear altogether.

_One particular story was about Kurai and Hikari, dark and light. Hikari was the most beautiful woman that walked the earth when it was still young. But Kurai was different. He was ugly, deformed in the eyes of men and women alike, though his face had no marks or scars. It was just dim and hard to make out. He was always sad because of it, but that sadness quickly turned to hatred when the woman he loved rejected him in the harshest way possible. He darkened the skies; it was like a dam of his rage had spilt out from the heavens and drowned the entire earth. But there was one exception, Hikari. He didn't understand why she brightened her surroundings wherever she went. It angered him that someone continued to give his enemies hope, so he sought out to kill her. It wasn't hard, finding Hikari. Her entire body glowed against a pitch black background._

_But, when he saw her…the intent to kill vanished immediately. He froze on the spot. Hikari smiled, as if expecting him. She looked into his eyes and he could swear that he had __**heard **__her speak, yet her mouth hadn't moved. But the words still echoed in his head, still made his heart swell with a foreign emotion that he realized others called __**happiness**__. _I've been waiting for you my love_. It was then that he understood she was communicating with her mind. His eyes filled with tears, _You don't find me ugly? _He thought quietly. She smiled and the darkness that had plagued the entire world for years vanished completely. The sun lit up the sky and the birds sang once again. _How could I find **you** ugly? You're beautiful.

_He was bewildered by her statement because he had seen his own reflection many times; he wondered how anyone could decide that what they saw was pleasing. She laughed, hearing the confusion in his mind, and then lifted her hand…offering it to him. He didn't hesitate. They both began to ascend, their hands intertwined. Those on the ground watched as their bodies turned into glowing balls of white light. Kurai's face was revealed to be just as beautiful as Hikari's. But no one could ever see because it was so dark. Then they vanished into the sky, never to be seen again. Many say that they became stars, others say they became gods. But we could only be sure about one thing: they were soul mates who had finally found each other._

Kyouhei quirked an eyebrow at Sunako's explanation. _What does that have to do with us?_ He asked, seriously curious. It was a cool story and all…but…

Sunako sighed, rolling her eyes. _Once the story was over, the elders would add their own continuation: If you marry your soul mate, it will be like attaching two lost pieces of the same precious jewel. You can also read the mind of your husband or wife. You just have to love your partner unconditionally. I had always assumed that it was just a lie told to make young girls seek marriage out of life and nothing else._

Kyouhei nodded as realization dawned on him. He could hear her thoughts because he loved her with all of his heart. And she could hear his because she loved him with all of her heart. It didn't take long for his lips to find hers and convey how happy this explanation had caused him to become.

He pulled away, _Anything else that I need to know? _

_Don't tell anyone._

Before he could ask why, she answered: _When I ran from my tribe as a young girl, the king of Stulte was looking for people of Pawan who were…__**gifted**_.

_You __**ran**__ away? You always told me that your parents decided to leave but died shortly after arriving in the city. And what do you mean by "gifted?"_

_I escaped just before the soldiers of Stulte attacked. But that's not why I'm telling you to keep this a secret…_She answered, saving the answer of his second question for later.

_Why, then? It's very hard for me to keep secrets from my adopted family. _He thought with a laugh, but it was silenced by the next words she allowed to cross the folds of her inner workings.

_Because soldiers from Omorfia were there, too._


	8. The Mask

_Soldiers from Omorfia were there, too._

Reality came crashing down. Their mental sanctuary had burned away, and the altar reappeared. He was surrounded by his brothers, Sunako an arm's length away. Her eyes bore into him with a sort of heated passion. Not the good kind of passion. She was waiting for him to respond. He broke away from all of worried faces, and questions, and sat down with his head in his hands. He felt Sunako's stare even when she was a few feet away.

He tuned everything and everyone out. And her words rose to the boggy and wet surface of his troubled marsh-like brain.

_Soldiers from Omorfia were there, too._

He could blame it on the personal vendettas of a_ few_ Omorfian soldiers, and tell himself that his father had them drawn and quartered for their crimes against the northern innocents of Pawan. He could. But Kyouhei was no fool. Sunako's village had been raided, pillaged, and raped of all its goods. Most had been sold either into slavery for labor or into the homes of the rich and perverted. The fact that Sunako had managed to fight off every psycho that recognized her lineage through her striking and rare eye color was a miracle in itself.

He could still try to make his father look good, even at a point as dark as this. Maybe he had been tricked into helping by the king of Stulte. Maybe the old snake had convinced him that Pawan was full of liars and murderers, and his father's skyscraper morals couldn't just stand by. But Kyouhei could not bring himself to ignore the facts, especially since it revolved around Sunako. Pawan had been attacked eleven years ago, when Sunako was twelve. Other twelve year olds would have a testimony that couldn't be trusted because most pre-adolescents exaggerate what they see and hear; fear does tend to make everything bigger and more dangerous. Except Sunako wasn't like most. She had been perceptive and cunning from the first moment they spoke to each other. The truth was always in her eyes.

She had seen what lied on the dark side of Omorfia's moon, and Kyouhei believed her with all of his heart and soul.

Soldiers from Omorfia _were _there, too. And his father had most likely sent them. Even admitting it only to himself, hurt. The man that he had idolized, a man that had been like a Messiah to him…was just as selfish and greedy as the next guy.

He sighed into his hands.

"Kyouhei?" She quietly called. Sunako now sat next to him; her white dress spilled around her and even covered half of his lap. This, for some reason, lightened his mood a tad.

"We'd better watch our backs, huh?" He whispered.

Sunako grimaced at the familiar sentence, her eyes locked onto Machiko who looked away…like she was trying to hide that she had been intensely staring at the two of them.

"I wouldn't want anyone else…" she started, love in her eyes, "to watch my back."

He smirked; _everything's going to be alright, isn't it?_

_Whoever tries to say otherwise is due for a proper beating_, she inwardly growled.

He laughed before kissing her, his eyes open as they watched his father stalk from the room…his stride tense. He squinted before gently breaking away. Sunako turned to look as the king rounded a corner and was gone from view.

She squeezed his hand, _We don't know that he had anything to do with it…_

Kyouhei cracked his neck; _He's the heart of it._

_What makes you think so?_

_I don't know, but something in my gut tells me that he hides behind an elaborate mask._

_Just because I told you that there were Omorfian soldiers in Pawan that day? _

Kyouhei sighed, the feeling only intensifying when his father re-rounded the corner with a big smile…three keys in his hand. But this time, he looked at his father's eyes closely. And he watched as they zeroed in on Sunako before flicking back to everyone else. It was quick, almost reflexive. But Kyouhei wasn't stupid.

_Because he can't stop looking at you._


End file.
